This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
Published on May 20, 2020, the stalemate between Kenya and Tanzania over the recent border closure reveals a long-standing issue that goes beyond Covid-19 containment.
While the pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges, the root cause of the tension lies in the deep-seated rivalry between the two nations, entangled in politics, commerce, and history.
The East African Community's commitment to cooperation and integration is put to the test as mistrust among member states persists. Despite the signing of the EAC Common Market Protocol in 2005 and its commencement in 2010, progress in removing hurdles such as non-tariff barriers that constrict regional trade has been slow.
The latest escalation began with President Kenyatta's directive to close Kenya's borders with Tanzania and Somalia, exempting cargo transporters but requiring them to be tested and certified coronavirus-free to proceed.
Tanzania responded by locking out Kenyan transporters, citing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. However, Tanzanian Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu later clarified that Kenyan truck drivers would be allowed entry if they obeyed the anti-coronavirus measures in place.
The action by both governments amounts to a blockade of inter-country trade, with goods from Kenya unable to reach their destination in Tanzania and vice versa.
The pandemic should not be used as an excuse to sort out old grievances, and the EAC's goal of creating a stable regional economic and political bloc for shared prosperity cannot be achieved if member states come into the partnership with unclean hands.
